Copyholder with two-way cover



Sept. 29, 1953' E. NINEBERG COPYHOLDER WITH TWO-WAY COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Juh e 9, 1950 mmvrozt E. NINEBERG COPYHOLDER WITH TWO-WAY COVER Sept. 29, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1950 I N VEN TOR. da /W1 fiu'z iqzg Patented Sept. 29, 1953 2,653,509 COPYHOLDER WITH TWO-WAY COVER Edward Nineberg, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Benjamin Sugarman, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 9, 1950, Serial No. 167,160

Claims.

In the use of cameras for photo-engraving and other photo-process operations such as are commonly employed for producing printing plates, it is common to use a copy-holder including a glass cover against which the copy is firmly pressed and flattened by a resilient back. When the copy is put into such a copy-holder, the copyholder is customarily in a horizontal position. Heretofore it has been hinged on one side so that the operator must be on the other side to open it and insert the copy or remove other copy. That side must then be securely latched so that when the copy-holder is swung to a vertical position the cover will not swing open. This is particularly important in view of the fact that the weight of the cover necessitates providing some counterbalancing means such as a spring. When gravity ceases to hold the cover down as the copy-holder is tipped to the vertical position, this spring would throw the cover open if it were not securely latched.

According to the present invention, the copyholder cover is mounted by very simple means in such a manner that it may be opened from either side and yet is securely latched on that side when it is closed. Each counterbalancing spring serves to counterbalance the cover no matter which side is opened. The simplicity is accompilshed in part by using the latch pins as hinge pins and by mounting a counterbalancing spring between two support arms, one of which functions primarily for counterbalancing the cover with one direction of opening while the other functions for counterbalancing the cover with the other direction of opening.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings.

Designation of f gures Fig. 1 is a fragmentary face view of the copyholder, chosen for illustration of this invention, certain parts thereof being broken away for illustration of details,

Fig. 2 is a view taken approximately on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, showing particularly the counterbalancing mechanism and showing other portions in section,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but on a smaller scale and showing in full lines the cover opened in one direction and in broken lines showing the cover opening in the other direction,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a side view showing particularly the face view of the combined latches and hinges.

Fig. 6 is a side view showing a latch.

General description Although the law requires a full and exact description of at least one form of the invention, such as that which follows, it is, of course, the purpose of a patent to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form or additions of further improvements; and the appended claims are intended to accomplish this purpose by particularly pointing out the parts, improvements or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

In the illustrated form of the copy-holder, the copy-holder base H may be a shallow box-like construction. This box may be supported by bearing lugs I2, which may be pivotally mounted from any suitable support, such as a carriage on the camera frame. To open the copy-holder, the operator swings it to a horizontal position. He may then operate either the two knobs l3-R, if he is on the right side of the camera, or the two knobs l3-L, if he is on the left side of the camera. In either event, he slides these two knobs toward one another to shift the pins l4 associated therewith until they clear the cylinders l6, into which they normally extend. Still grasping the same knobs, the operator then may easily raise that side of the cover [1, which is counterbalanced as described below. The cover I! hinges about the pins I 4 on the opposite side of the cover.

Details of latch-hinges As seen best in Figs. 1 and 5, a barrel I8 is carried by a plate [9, which is secured to the cover frame 2|. Pin I4 snugly slides within one end of the barrel it. It is maintained in axial alignment with the barrel by guide rod 22 which slides in snug engagement with the other end of the barrel. Guide pin 22 may be a separate member rigidly secured to pin l4 or it may be a reduced end of pin I4. A spring 23 bears on the rear shoulder of pin I 4 to urge the pin outwardly. The knob l3-L or l3-R is carried by the pin l4. Cylinder I6, into which the protruding portion of pin l4 extends, is carried by a plate 23 which is secured to the base I I.

It is apparent that when the cover is closed this spring 23 will press pin I4 into cylinder Hi. This is ecually true of all four of the hingelatches. When the two latches on one side of the cover are manually actuated to draw the pins [4 from the associated cylinders 15, the pins 24 on the other side of the cover serve as hinge-pins for swinging the cover up from the side which has been released.

Counterbalancing For best counterbalancing action, counterbalancing unit preferably provided each of the copy-holder. Thus, as seen in Fig. 1, there is at each end of the copy-holder an assembly which includes a counterbalancing spring 26 and counter-balancing links 22'. The structure and operation of each counterbalancing assembly is best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, with occasional reference to Fig. 4.

The links 27 are both pivoted to the frame 2| of the cover, preferably at the center of its end. As seen in Fig. 4, the pivotal mounting may comprise a simple screw 23 with spacing washers and a locknut such as an elastic stop-nut.

Links 27 are provided at their ends with rollers 29 which roll on base Iii. Spring; 2'5. is stretched between the free end portions of links 21, which carry the rollers 29. Fig. 3, the spring 26 will tend to draw the links 2! together at their bottoms, thus raising'the cover frame 2| to an open position. If thesright-hand latches are released by knobs l3-R, the counterbalancing links 2? and spring as will help raisethe cover to the position shown in fulllines in Fig. 3. If the right-hand latch-hingesare left engaged when the cover is closed and the left hinges released by knobs l 39-15, the: counterbalancin-g'meanswill helpraise the cover to the position shown in brokenlines in Fig. 8.. In either event, upon closing the cover again, this restretches spring as it flattens down the links 2 restoringthe parts to the position shown in Fig. 2

Springs preferably have just-about enough strength to counterbalance the weight of the frame 2'! and the glass plate El. Ideally, they have slightly less strength than is required to start the cover upwardly after the pressure under it is released, but enough strength to hold it in the upward position once it reaches that position. 'It will be observed that, although the tension of the spring 223 reduces as the cover opens, the mechanical' advantage of the linkage systenr 2'! in'- creases. Furthermore, the shifting of the center of gravity of the cover as it is raised tends to reduee its apparent weight. Accordingly, it isnot' at all di'fiicult to choose springs which will hold the cover up when it is raised or let it remain lowered when it islowered.

It should be understood that, according to the usual practice, the copy will be supported by a resilient back 33, which may include a cover 35 of cushion-like nature and: may be: supported. by a plurality'of springs Bolts 3'! may limit the movement of resilient bacls 3-3 after the cover is raised. However; when the cover is pressed down and. latched, resilient bacl; 3.3- is pressed downenough to. unseat bolts 32''. Hence the springs 35- press the eopyfirmly against glass 3 L Position latches Latches are commonly provided for holding copy-holders in vertical position or horizontal position, or both. Preferably such latches are provided, but of a form easily operated from either side of the copyholder. For example, two-latches 38 may be rigidly carried on shaft 39'so that'releasing; the. nearest latch will release-the further latch.

From the foregoing it is seen that a copyhololer of very simple construction is provided which may be opened from either side and which in either event is counterbalanced by a mechanism which holds it in raised position or lets it remaininlowered position.

I claim:

1'. A. copy-holder iinludingv a. base, a transparent cover, a pressure. pad. carried by the base.

for. pressing copy against. the inside of the cover, combined hinges and latches. positioned on oppcsite. sides of the copy-holder and eachincluding a member. rigidly secured to. the cover, a member rigidly secured to the base, and a handleoperated pin serving normally as a hinge pin between the two members and shiftable therein, in ordinary operation While restrained from removal, to. release the member secured to the cover from the member secured to the base, whereby either side of the cover may be released to swing the cover to an open position for access to the pad. with hinge action on the opposite side, and

As is quite apparent front counterbalancing' means acting, between the base and the cover for assisting in raising the cover from either side.

2. A copy-holder including a base, a transparent cover, a pressure pad carried by the base for pressing copy against the inside of the cover, and combined. hinges and latches positioned on opposite. sides of. the copy-holder and each including a member rigidly secured to the cover, a member rigidly secured to the base, and a handleoperated pin serving normally as a hinge pin between the two members and: shiftabletherein, in ordinary operation while restrained from ree moval,.to release the member secured tothe" cover from: the member secured. to the base, whereby either side of the.- cover may be. releasedtothe cover to an open position foraccess to the pad with. hinge-action. on. the opposite; side.

3. A copy-holder including a base, a cover, re.- leasable hinges on opposite sides of the cover: whereby either side may be releasedand the: cover: raised by hinge: action about the other side, and counterbalancing meansfor assisting in. raising: the; cover from either side, comprising a pair of arms extending: generally in: opposite directions, each. from a pivotal point, and spring means stretched between the arms for drawing the free ends of the arms towardioneanother; each of said arms extending between the cover and the.- base; to one of'which it is" pivoted and to the: other of which it is urged by the spring.

4. A copy-holder including a base, means for pivotall-y mounting the base, a transparent cover, a pressure pad carried by the basefor pressing copy against the inside of the cover, combined: hinges and. latches positioned: on: opposite sides or. the copy-holder and each including a member rigidly secured to the cover, a memberrigidly se.- cured tothe base, and a handle-operated pinservingv normally as a hinge pin between the two members and shiftable therein, in ordinary oper ationwhile restrained from removal, to release the member secured to. the. cover from the meme ber secured to the base, wherebyeither side. of the, cover may be released to swing the cover to an. open position for access to the pad with'hinge action on the opposite side, and position. latch means forsecurin'g the copy-holder in a given po-- sition including a shaft and a latch lever fasten the shaft near each side of the copy-holder.

5. A copy-holder including abase, a cover, releasa-ble. hinges: on opposite; sides of. the cover adapted iorready independent release: of the op posits-sides whereby either side may be. released: and the cover raised by hinge action about the other; side, and counterbalancing means for assisting raisingv the cover from eitherside away from copy in: theholder, comprising a. pair of arms extending generally in oppositedirections; each. from apivotal point, and spring: means stretched between the arms for drawing the 'free: ends of. the arms toward one-another, each-of: said arms extending between. the cover and the base, tonne of which. it is; pivoted andto the other of whichzit'isurged by the. spring.

EDWARD NINEBERG.

References Cited in the file of this patent White Nov. 8', 19.49 

